Liar Liar
by yvj
Summary: NaruSaku: A series of one-shots post-700 where Naruto and Sakura deal with feelings that shouldn't exist.
1. Liar Liar

_So I wrote a thing. A one shot about post 700 NaruSaku. _

* * *

Its not something he wants to acknowledge. The implications are troubling but its too obvious to ignore. Here she is sitting across the table from him, many things at once a woman in her mid-thirties, a ninja, a wife, a medic, a mother

And beautiful to him, still, after all these years

"What's so funny?" She asks.

He collects himself. "I still can't believe you broke my computer."

She grins. "How else was I supposed to get you out of the office Naruto?"

"I think that's a misuse of your monstrous strength."

"You say that but I didn't really need that much strength to break it. It actually felt a bit cheap if I'm going to be honest."

"It was a gift from an ambassador Sakura-chan."

Sakura considers this for a moment. "Hmm I would reevaluate that relationship Naruto . The giving of cheap gifts doesn't bode well for diplomacy."

She glances down at her half eaten salad, it was a delectable mix of vegetables and fruit. Naruto's salad on the other hand is a mix of savory looking grilled chicken and greens that has barely been touched.

He makes note of her scrutiny.

"I'm not hungry" he says.

"Listen I know you saved the world like what twenty years ago? But you are an old man now Naruto and you need your vitamins."

He scoffs. "Okay who told you to be worried about me?'

"Everyone" she says raising a cup of tea to her lips.

"Everyone?"

"Everyone, and I'm not surprised since you don't eat."

"Of course I eat! If I didn't eat I would not be alive" Naruto grumbles.

She shrugs. "People are also saying that you've gotten quite cranky."

"Eh" he grunts.

"Oh and no one really needed to tell me to be worried Naruto. I was already worried anyway."

Wordlessly Naruto picks up his fork and starts to stab at his food.

"I liked that computer."

He shovels bits of chicken and spinach into his mouth while Sakura beams at him from across the table. She continues eating silently glancing up at the Hokage every now and then.

"Wait a second" he says when three quarters done with his meal. "If this lunch is for my benefit why are we are eating salads?"

"Because if someone didn't know you were the Hokage they would think you designed ramen containers by the look of your office. Hinata must be livid, she's such a great cook and there you are slurping away."

"My wife understands a man's needs."

Sakura's eyebrows quirk with amusement, "So ramen are part of a man's needs now?"

"Why wouldn't they be?" he counters.

"Well I have to congratulate Hinata for discovering something most women would never have considered"

"See Hinata would consider that because she is as sweet as Konoha honey. You though are closer to the killer Konoha Bee."

Beneath the table Sakura's left boot becomes acquainted with Naruto's right shin.

"Ouch!" Naruto cries as he grabs at his leg. "Ah was that your sting?"

"If that's what you want to call it. I say that's what you get for gloating about your fabulous marriage. No one likes a braggart Naruto."

Averting his gaze from Sakura Naruto takes in the immediate scenery of the intimate café they are in.

"I am a lucky man. She is a great mother."

"I heard about your son and the mountain, I suppose the apple doesn't fall from the tree does it?"

A half smile slowly crawls along Naruto's face. He speaks with unbridled pride in his voice. "He is a handful but he's a strong kid. He's going to be a better man than I am"

Sakura shakes her head. "Naruto don't put that kind of pressure of your son. I'm sure you already cast a long enough shadow."

Confusion reigns on the Hokage's face, 'What is that supposed to mean?"

"Naruto I've never met a better man than you in my entire life.I doubt i ever will."

She says it quickly confidently casually. But his reaction makes her wonder if there is a way to take it back. He wears guilt on his face as if it were an oni mask,

"I've got my flaws Sakura-chan."

She tries briefly to catch his gaze but to no avail.

'I'm just saying Naruto your children will have some big shoes to fill. That's just something to consider."

His sigh resembles a soft whisper.

"It's not like I am not aware I should spend more time with my family. But—keeping the peace is a lot harder than talking about peace. There is a village near the Land or Iron calling me a tyrant for trying to suggest some reforms-do these guys even remember what Nagato, Obito and Madara were trying to do? Do they even remember that-"

"You saved the world?"

"It's not even about that" Naruto says quickly.

"But you did though…you saved the world."

He blushes. "Well I had some help."

They exchange smiles.A light flickers in Naruto's eyes and he leans back in his seat.

"Have you gotten any word from Sasuke yet?"

Sakura shrugs. "I got a letter last week. Second one in three months…how many letters from him have you gotten?"

"A handful" he says after a moment's hesitation. "But obviously they are official reports related to his mission."

Sakura chuckles to herself. "You know maybe next time you can order him to spend some time at home."

The pain that registers on his face makes her cringe.

"Sakura Sasuke's skills are vital to certain delicate and discreet missions so I have to make a judgment calls and…"

She interrupts him. "Naruto I'm just kidding you. I know he volunteers for these missions."

Naruto runs his tongue across his lips. "No, no its actually more like this see I am the Hokage so I assign him to these missions and he technically can say yes or no but for the good of the village Sasuke always says yes."

Sakura rolls her eyes. "Naruto he told me himself that he mostly volunteers."

She watches as his throat bobs up and down.

"Sakura-chan you've got to understand he still feels like he has to make amends."

"I understand why he does it Naruto. I get it and it's perfectly admirable and noble and virtuous. Maybe I'm being selfish but It's just that you know it gets a little lonely sometimes."

With her eyes misting over Sakura turns away from him. He reaches over the table for her hand but he stops himself short planting his right hand firmly against the table.

"If you get lonely you can always stop by the house or my office."

Sakura closes her eyes for a moment before turning back to Naruto. With her composure regained she smiles brightly.

"Look at me a grown woman talking about being lonely. Sometimes I think my daughter is more mature than I am."

Naruto nods. "I know she's definitely more mature than we were at her age."

Sakura nods back. "Oh that's for sure. Although she does have her father's razor sharp tongue. Oh if I had her wit when I was younger…well my fights with Ino would have been a lot uglier."

Her eyes are shining with pride now. "There are days where I am certain she would have handled some things a lot better than I did."

Naruto fidgets his seat. "What things?"

A tinge of red colors Sakura's face. "All sorts of things."

Her eyes fall on Naruto's hand on the table it rests a scat few inches away from her own. She smiles as he pulls his hand back.

"The more things change the more they stay same. Why does it always turn out like this? I come to help you and then it becomes all about me. Naruto I know you are the consummate fixer and rescuer but how do you always pull this off-?

He stares at her, as she speaks somehow the sunlight seems to be nestling in her hair.

"I just wanted you to be happy" He blurts out. "That's all I needed."

"You and Sasuke" he adds quickly before she can respond. "Both of you, I just wanted you to be happy. Do you know that?"

Their eyes meet. She holds his gaze,

"I do Naruto, and I am happy."

"And so am I" His voice cracks and it startles them both.

He glances up at the sky for no particular reason she can discern. "Well I think it's time for me to go."

"OK" she agrees.

He stands up and reaches into his pocket.

Sakura holds her hand up. "Stop, it's on me."

Naruto nods in acquiesce. "Thanks this was fun."

He makes a move to leave but she grabs him by the hand,

"Try to relax every now and then Hokage-sama. You saved the world once. That's more than enough for one lifetime."

He looks down at her hand. She gives his fingers a tight squeeze.

He laughs to himself, feeling defeated. "I think you are amazing Sakura-chan. I still do after all these years."

Sakura draws in a sharp breath and lets his hand drop. His words lay there somehow weighing down the very air around them.

She is the first to break the silence, "Why would you say that?"

He grimaces "I'm sorry I hadn't slept in like three days-"

She shakes her head. "No you don't just say something like that and apologize. A married man does not just blurt that out to a married woman."

"I didn't mean to upset you."

Sakura runs a hand through her hair. "Idiot, it didn't upset me at all. It had the opposite effect. That's the problem."

"Is it?" he asks his lip quirking into a smile.

"It is, it is Naruto."

Naruto bends over as if intending to kiss her on the top of the head. He stops short and whispers. "If I invited you to lunch….if I invited you to have a very private lunch. What would you think about that?"

"I think that would be a bad idea" she whispers back.

"You are right, it would be a really, really bad idea. But what if I did?"

"Naruto, I've always loved Sasuke."

He smiles.

"I know and I love my wife."

"I know that." She smiles.

"But if I invited you would you come?" he asks again.

She trembles slightly. "You wouldn't ever ask me to do that."

"Of course I would never ever ask. But what if I did?"

He studies her, reading her features, sifting through their past via her eyes.

"I would say no" she answers.

He pulls away and quietly straightens out his Hokage garb.

"Sakura-chan you are a bad liar."

"Some might say it takes a bad liar to know a bad liar" she says soft and somber.

"There might be some truth to that. Thanks again for lunch."

Smiling tenderly Naruto turns and for the second time in his life he walks away from Sakura Haruno. He finds it's no less painful now than it had been all those years ago.

XXXXXXXX

Thanks for reading let me now what you think


	2. Liar Liar 2

_So thanks to a combination of the surprising success of Liar Liar &amp; the fact that I felt like i should do one more with a bit more focus on Sakura's perspective. I present to you Liar, Liar 2. You could take it as a continuation of the last story or you could take it as stand-alone one-shot. Anyway i hope you like this as much as much as you did the last one assuming you read it lol._

* * *

Uchiha Sakura trains at night.

It's more convenient with her fluctuating schedule.

The third training ground is where she prefers to improve herself. It's deserted by the time she shows up so she trains alongside her memories of, well not what she could honestly call better times, but far simpler times.

"Up late?"

Sakura moves through the motions of her taijutsu exercises without turning towards the voice. She knows who it is.

"Salad went to bed awhile ago and I've some free time on my hands. So I thought I'd do something productive. What about you?"

"If I am not productive for a second wars break out."

"Aren't you risking a lot by being here then?"

"I am on a break."

"Ah so you do take breaks then?"

"For emergency purposes I do."

Naruto steps into Sakura's peripheral vision. She can see him well enough while beneath the bright moonlight.

"Sakura-chan, y'know in some villages punching the Kage is an act of treason."

She stops her exercises. Turning quickly to Naruto she bows at the hip.

"Hokage-sama please forgives my impudence. I ask that you forgive me for bringing shame to your office and the village. Please grant me the opportunity to redeem myself in your eyes."

Naruto chuckles "ah now see that was a little..."

"Melodramatic?" She asks lifting her head.

He nods. "That's the word I was looking for."

"It was melodramatic but sincere" she tags.

"Of course"

Naruto circles her.

She takes in the sight of him. He is wearing his full Hokage regalia. She realizes he had not been kidding; he likely really had just come in from the office.

"So can I ask why you're upset with me?"

'Who says I am upset with you Naruto?"

He points to his head. "The ache on the side off my skull has been pretty vocal about it"

"How did you find me?" She blurts out.

"I can feel you when I have to." He answers.

She shakes her head. "Oh wow I forgot the conveniently powerful sensing abilities you have."

"Hinata wishes it could help when I lose my keys but I tell her there are limitations to all abilities."

He stops pacing around. "So…..? You are upset because?"

"I'll tell you why I hit you but only if you do me a favor."

Naruto looks at her curiously. "What is it?"

"Spar with me in taijutsu for a little bit….It's been some time since I tested my speed and reflexes."

The look on his face tells her everything. He had not come out there expecting that. What had he expected? She wonders. Why come to meet her here alone so late? She allows her imagination to supply an answer.

"Really?" he asks after moment's consideration.

"I know this is very unusual"

"Oh the unusual-ness is not lost on me Sakura-chan-"

He pauses and slowly surveys the training ground. She can see the glow of nostalgia in his eyes.

"-But I am game."

Sakura contains her surprise and delight. A good part of her didn't expect him to say yes. She begins to stretch feeling a once dormant excitement shaking itself awake inside of her.

Naruto places his hat to the side and begins to work on the rest of his outfit. "Did you guess I would come here?"

"Tonight? No But I thought you'd come find me eventually." Sakura grabs the top of her right foot bending her knee and bringing her foot towards her backside.

Down to his undershirt and pants Naruto takes his right arm straight across his chest while curling his left hand around his elbow.

"Before we do this, I want to tell you something important. I should have mentioned it earlier but I forgot, probably because of the head trauma."

Sakura grins. 'You've been hit harder."

"By you?"

"By your former enemies"

"I'm sorry I forgot about them probably because the head trauma" he teases.

"Aright! I apologized didn't I? So what do you have to tell me?"

Naruto sighs; a harsh seriousness creeps into his voice.

"There's a new village that wants to join the Alliance. I would vote in favor of them joining but there are rumors about them...rumors about massacres and orphans."

Sakura does not need to hear more to see where Naruto is leading,

"So my husband won't be coming home any time soon."

Naruto nods grimly. "We don't know if it's true or not but the truth of these rumors has to be exposed to the light of the world. Then the people who need help can get help."

"I understand" Sakura says while cracking her knuckles. "I know why this would be important to him. I understand the decisions he makes."

Naruto glances at the ground. "Well I'm ready just let me know when you are-"

She pounces on him before he can finish. Sakura comes in close, she throws a punch but Naruto moves out of the way. Two quicker punches come at the Hokage and they miss him by inches. He bounces backwards out of Sakura's Taijutsu range.

"Whoa that was intense!" he shouts at her before taking a fighting stance.

She notes the twinkle of mischief in his eyes. It seems it had been awhile for the Hokage as well

"I was upset with you Naruto because I got annoyed!"

"Annoyed by what?" he calls back.

"Your face!"

She stamps the ground.

"My face?!" Naruto cries incredulously while the earth gives in beneath.

He stumbles forward as Sakura soars in with a kick. It takes the expert reflexes and body control for Naruto to twist his body in mid-air and avoid her blow.

They land on the ground at the same time just a few steps apart. Sakura drops low and lashes her leg out in a sweeping arc. Naruto flips over her leg while she allows her momentum to swing her back up to her feet. She meets Naruto scant seconds after his feet hit the ground. He dodges her rushing attack.

"You were walking around the village with the face of a shitty tired old man!" Sakura briefly wonders when it was that she became the brash one of the two

Confusion reigns Naruto's face. "Are you being serious right now?"

She fakes a left hook and instead throws a left jab. It takes a fraction of moment for Naruto to decipher the punch and deflect it with his forearm.

He darts backwards shaking the dullness from his arm.

She chases after him.

"You walked right past me in the marketplace today. You were parading around with a bunch of officials so I marked it down to you being a busy man."

"I was busy!"

"But there were a group of young genin nearby. You could tell they were in awe of you and maybe a little afraid to get any closer. And you completely ignored them."

Naruto responds with silence.

He stops abruptly plants his feet and kicks. Sakura quickly sidesteps the blow, she counters with a right hook of her own, moving with blazing speed once again Naruto twists his body to avoid the blow. He grabs Sakura by the arm and using her momentum against her he flips her over his shoulder.

Sakura hits the ground in a soft roll. She continues rolling until she can roll up to her feet.

She turns to him.

"I hit you after I saw that. There was a time when you saw young shinobi on the street you would always make sure to encourage them. Sometimes you would stop and pat them on the hand or offer them te prestige of some ridiculous made-up job like being your official hat bearer."

"No offense Sakura but if you had this job you would understand the amount of focus I need to have every day to the things the world needs to be done. I just don't have the time for distractions!"

"Distractions like your family?"

"Tread lightly Sakura" Naruto says somberly.

"You walk about stern-faced, ignoring friends and admirers on the street, it's almost like you don't want to be there."

Naruto shakes his head. "I appreciate the lecture but I have been the Hokage for a few years now. And i think I know how much effort I need to put into it."

Sakura relaxes her stance. "I'm not trying to lecture you Naruto. I just want you to know that I understand your problem."

"I have a problem?"

"You're becoming a prisoner of your own dream" she declares.

This time Naruto attacks. His body flicker technique is blindingly fast.

She anticipates where he would likely attack rather than attempting to see his movements. She puts up both arms to guard against him yet his first blow still knocks her back.

She continues.

"You spend your whole life wanting something and when you finally get it life is simply heavenly and you expect it to be that way forever. But that's not how life works is it?"

Naruto appears suddenly to the side of her.

He kicks.

Sakura counters quickly by clashing her leg to his lead leg preventing him fully extending his kick. She punches but Naruto clasps both hands around her fist before she can put her full power into the blow.

'Aren't you going to explain life to me?" he grumbles.

They pull apart sprinting backwards respectively.

Sakura draws in breath.

"Life has up and down high and lows, but sometimes you lose your way and you only start reacting to the lows. You lose sight of the highs until all you can see are the lows. They change you, life becomes all about tolerating the lows until you can't stand it anymore."

A cool autumn wind blows in cutting through the grass and fueling the tension in the air.

"That's when you start doubting yourself, you start doubting your decisions, which brings regret after that comes resentment. Then people around you start getting hurt."

Naruto shrugs, "That's not _my_ problem,"

"It's everybody's problem eventually' she counters.

Sakura licks her lips.

"The first year that you were Hokage every time I saw you I fully expected to see your smile. And I was never wrong. Naruto I know being Hokage isn't easy-"

"But it sure is hard enough!" he declares. "Let's take a break ok?"

Sakura quietly watches as the Hokage wanders off a bit with his hands at his hips. He looks up and seems to take a moment to study the enthusiastic moon.

Suddenly his laughter breaks the stillness of the night.

He gets it now she thinks.

Naruto returns to his previous position.

"This whole spar..."

"Yeah" she smiles as she clenches her right first. "My plan was to beat a smile out of you."

He laughs again, not at her, she knows this. He laughs at their history.

She laughs too.

'Is this what they call irony?" he inquires.

"No this is closer to a coincidence by classical definition."

They laugh again until the breath lives them both.

When they regain their composure he calls out to her with his voice warm and hearty.

"Sometimes I feel like I work best as an underdog. When people underestimated me I knew I could defy their expectations. Now some people look at me and they expect miracles and I just don't know..."

He trails off while scratching at the back of his neck. "I need to be who they need me to be."

"Naruto….you should try to keep yourself happy first, because what the world really needs is happier people."

Naruto resumes his fighting stance. "Let's keep going..."

'Are you sure, it seems like you're slowing down in your old age" Sakura teases.

"But the older I get the more handsome I become."

"I've heard the rumors that you were working a jutsu like Tsunade's creation rebirth" She says now visibly amused.

"It's no jutsu if I were a betting man I'd bet it had something to do with Kurama. Ok I'm going to turn it up a little, I wonder if you can keep up?"

"I wonder if this time you can make me lose my breath."

A smile tugs at Naruto's lips his eyes sparkle

The spar continues and Naruto is true to his word. He kicks his speed up to another gear. Sakura is immediately put on the defensive by his aggressive approach. He prods and pokes at her defenses boldly seeking an opening.

Sakura takes a few hits to pick up on his timing and footwork. She also takes the time to visualize his tendencies. When the opportunity presents itself she strikes.

She telegraphs a slow punch that serves as a distraction, when Naruto reactions to the blow she dives at his legs. She wraps both arms around his feet and pulls his knees together stealing his balance. She drives herself forward forcing Naruto backwards. She tucks her chin into his chest until they both hit the ground with a loud thump.

She pins him against the ground and pops up quickly rising above him poised to strike. Sakura freezes caught up in Naruto's penetrating gaze.

"I didn't know how beautiful you could look in the moonlight" he sighs.

She makes a small noise of surprise.

Naruto looks up at her sadly. "Sorry"

"Don't apologize' she says quickly.

"Okay'

He grabs her by the shoulder and tosses her the side. She rolls and spots Naruto charging forward. She springs to her feet and barrels into his chest.

"I dream about you sometimes."

She feels his body tighten and relax in matter of seconds. She sweeps her leg under his and sends him crashing to the ground. He rolls out of the way of her follow up attack and onto his feet.

'What did you say?"

"I said I dream about you on nights like this. When the moon is full…"

"When Sasuke is gone?" Naruto inquires.

"No even when he's here..."

Sakura leaps into the air and lands where Naruto had only been moments before. She contracts her muscles and bounds after the backpedalling Naruto. It is her turn to be aggressive and she intends to overwhelm him.

For the better part of five minutes she fires a volley of combinations and feints that were mesmerize a lesser man.

Though she teased him the truth of it was that Naruto had not slowed much since the great shnobi war. He dodges or manages to deftly deflect her powerful blows nano seconds before they hit. It is the last deflection that leaves Sakura open to a palm strike to her shoulders.

The blow stuns her.

Naruto follows up with another attack but Sakura does not bother to react.

He stops the devastating punch leaving his fist hovering over her nose.

"Why did you stop?!" Naruto pants.

Sakura gasps, fighting for breath. She glances at his upturned fist and then simply walks past it. She wraps her arms around Naruto's neck and hugs him. She feels his strong chest against her body and she feels the thud of his heart through her shirt.

"Naruto if we keep up this fight...I will succumb to you."

Naruto doesn't move away but he doesn't embrace her either. He stands firm and rigid like the statues of the village founders he sees every day in the Hokage estate.

"It's okay this isn't a proper fight" he mutters.

Sakura places her head against his and closes her eyes.

"Naruto do you still l-?"

"I wish I didn't." He whispers before she can finisher her question. "But I do…"

"What if I told you that makes me happy?"

"I would tell you it shouldn't."

"I want to tell you something Naruto."

"No, no you don't."

"Sorry this time-this time you can't tell me how I feel. I have something to say."

Slowly and wordlessly Naruto wraps his arms around her pulling her close to him and letting himself feel the heat of her body.

Sakura pulls her head back and allows Naruto to look into her eyes and recognizes the emotions blazing in the emerald inferno.

"Tell me then" he says softly.

"Naruto I-"

His breathing ragged now he grabs her face. "Don't tell me something that can't be taken back. Do you understand?"

She looks into his face to see a familiar sight. This was Naruto at his most resolved and his voice was edged with promises and the pain of shame. She knew then if she said the right words, if she revealed her feelings, the lengths he would go to be by her side would be great. He would do his best to try and minimize the damage, and oh there would be damage, two damaged families at least. He would try though; he would try his hardest to make things right like he did before. Give his body and soul to pull off another miracle. Maybe he could do it again; maybe she could trust him with this too. Naruto always kept his promises. All she needed to do was to find the strength to say the words.

She feels his hands tremble against her cheeks.

The words form in her mouth

"I want you-to hear this funny story." Twin steaks of tears slide down both of Sakura's cheeks. "It's about Salada, when sure was younger."

Naruto squeezes his eyes shut and draws in his deepest breath of the night. He places his lips against her temple and kisses her tenderly. Then he cups her head in his hands and leans his forehead against her.

'I would love to hear it."

"Okay well few years ago she comes to me and says 'mama you are really smart but I am smarter now.' I said 'oh really?' She goes 'yep I know what forty two plus forty two is.' She just got an A+ on her math test and she was on cloud nine. I could have sat her down and explained the nuances of surgery to her but I didn't want to ruin her mood."

"So superiority complexes are genetic?" Naruto laughs. "Look like you've got two full blown Uchiha on your hands..."

Sakura laughs.

"Oh you should see when they're mad at each other. We sit at the dinner table and they just grunt back and forth at one another like chimps."

"I've got one for you. You know Bolt got around to understanding what me being Hokage really meant when he was about seven years old and he has been challenging me to fights ever since. For two years straight he would actually wait around corners in the house trying to catch me off guard. He got Himawari in on the action once, they jumped out of closet, he attacked high she attacked low."

"How low?"

'Real low...and she landed her hit."

"Ouch."

"I spent a few days sitting on ice packs and Bolt spent them being jealous of his sister for taking me down when he couldn't."

For the second time in the night Sakura and Naruto lose themselves to laughter.

"We've got hilariously adorable families Naruto." Sakura says when the laughter is gone.

"We do. Guess we're doing fine."

She nods.

He sighs. "So how about we call this spar a draw no one wins, no one loses."

"I can live with that" she agrees.

Her fingers linger on his shoulder as he pulls from her. He starts off towards the Hokage hat but turns around after a few steps.

"Sakura-chan thank you for taking it easy on this shitty old man."

Sakura raises two fingers up to him, a symbol of victory,

Naruto reciprocates holding up two fingers while grinning broadly.

His smile takes her back to simpler times. Then for the second time in her life Haruno Sakura quietly watches Naruto walk away.

This one was bit harder than the first. And I wander if I did the good by way of characterization

Anyway if you've got kind words for the story let me know :)


	3. Liar Liar 3

So okay I moved quickly on this story simply because some of the revelations from Kishimoto's interview inspired me a little bit. Also I felt like the last two stories I kind of jumped into the situation without shedding light on how Sakura and Naruto may have gotten to where they are at emotionally. I was also inspired by some songs (I've actually ripped off a few lyrics and used them as dialog lol). So anyway enjoy this angsty piece of story may seem a little confusing at first but just hang in there. Oh and there is some suggestive material included but its mostly for humorous purposes.

Also for the sake of the maturity I've been extra generous to SS and NH in these stories. So y'know...i took it easy on them.

* * *

_Naruto...If you don't wake up you idiot I'll kill you. _

An odd sensation overwhelms Naruto almost immediately upon waking. Still draped in the fog of sleep he raises his right hand from beneath his bedsheets and places it over his face. He clenches and unclenched his fist, drawing chakra while pressing the tips of fingers into his flesh.

Something is off.

He can't mold his chakra.

Naruto is abruptly made aware that he is not alone when a flash of pink emerges in his peripheral vision. Sakura pulls back the covers on the other side of the bed and slides in next to him.

He remains motionless.

"Hey Naruto have you ever thought about having another child?"

He turns to her, his eyes wide with confusion.

Sakura snuggles up closer to him. "I mean we're still young enough to..."

She blushes.

"I don't know it's just something I've been thinking about."

Sakura moves even closer until their bodies are touching. Then she kisses him. It is a soft kiss but it awakens him restoring his senses

He panics and spills awkwardly out of the bed onto the floor.

"What are you doing?" he asks while scooting further away from the bed.

Sakura peers at him curiously from the bed. "What's wrong Naruto?"

"I am a married man you are a married woman."

She blinks at him. "So?"

"You should see the obvious problem with this scenario Sakura-chan!"

* * *

Naruto scans the room, there is something wrong here, something beyond the obvious. This is his bedroom yet he notes the significant lack of pictures in the room, Hinata, his children, its as if they didn't exist.

He begins to wonder about this but then he hears the voice

_Naruto you probably can't hear me. And maybe that's for the best...because I have a secret to tell you _

The voice comes to him as if it were whispered in ear. Naruto's head swivels quickly from left to right trying to capture the sight of anyone in his immediate vicinity. He find no one, he senses no one. The voice sounds all too familiar.

_This is something I've wanted to talk to you about for quite sometime._

He looks over at Sakura. "How are you doing that?"

"How am I doing what?"

Her response answered one question and added another. It was Sakura's voice that he heard in her ear, it was a perfect match. Yet Sakura wasn't telepathic, so how?

_When Sasuke came back to us, and he started to reciprocate my attention. it was a dream come true. I felt so grateful to be wanted by him._

"Can you hear that?" Naruto asks Sakura.

Sakura smiles radiantly from the bed. "Hear what?"

Naruto smiles and whispers to himself. "Genjutsu"

Sakura's disembodied voice returns and Naruto reflexively glances up at the ceiling of his bedroom.

_You know for a few days I could hardly even look straight at him. Isn't that amazing? He'd always had that kind of effect on me. For so many years I desperately wanted him to see me as beautiful, and now when his eyes swept over me I saw that they were receptive and it was again, literally a dream come true. I had won. _

A list of genjutsu techniques flow through Naruto's mind. As Hokage he had solicited Sasuke's help in gathering records on all genjutsu and possible countermeasures against each. That the genjutsu had even affected him this greatly meant it was powerful. That narrowed the list.

The fact that he seemed to be in no immediate danger-

He glances once more at Genjutsu Sakura, she allows the bed sheet to slip away from her bare chest. Then she softly pats the bed space beside her on the bed.

"Naruto I'm yours if you want me."

-No immediate **physical **danger likely meant he was trapped in his own consciousness. This narrowed the list even further. He had no name for this technique but it appeared similar to the Uchiha kinjutsu Izanami.

_I embraced every moment I had with Sasuke because I was afraid. I was afraid it would end somehow, that my happiness would be taken away. I never told you this because I didn't want to worry you, there were times, there were times early on when Sasuke went away that I didn't think he would come back. I didn't think my love would be enough to keep him. _

_But he did come back and I would be grateful all over again. i would cling to him when he was around. Then one morning after being away for weeks he asks me to marry him. I thought to myself I can carry this happiness for the rest of my life now. But that's not how life works is it Naruto? Now I am not saying things were bad between Sasuke and I, there were plenty of rough patches but there were great moments as well. However things changed when Salada was born. _

"You know I promised I'd be worth the wait" Genjutsu Sakura says dragging Naruto from the voice in his head. "Naruto, please don't hesitate."

While trying his best to ignore her Naruto makes for the bedroom door only to find it locked. He throws his body against the door but it holds firm. He searches within him for the necessary chakra to aid him in blowing the door open. He finds none. He moves to the windows. They are locked as well, and slamming his fist against them is akin to pounding on solid steel.

A soft sigh escapes Naruto's lips. "Okay if this is like Izanami, it uses my own consciousness against me. I trap myself, I can free myself. All I've got to do is acknowledge something about me."

The voice returns, Naruto tilts his head instinctively attempting to listen in.

_Three months after Salada was born Sasuke went away again. It might sound terrible to say this but I was so focused on my daughter I barely felt his absence. I wanted to be there for her, I wanted to be the best mother I could be, I wanted to be a better person for her. There was no time to feel lonely when my daughter needed me. I found strength in motherhood, and I found happiness without Sasuke. _

_Then he came to me one night after missing one of Salada's birthdays, he came to me and told me about the families he had saved while he was away from his own. He told me about an orphan boy he had rescued and mentored for awhile near The Land of Waterfalls. And I was happy for him Naruto I didn't feel any anger or resentment I was thankful that he had found meaning in his life. But that was all I felt, happy for him, I used to feel something more between us once but somewhere along the way it got lost. _

"It's a fantasy" Naruto whispers to himself. "I get it, it's an immature fantasy that i would have had as a kid."

This is where the irony kicks in, this is the contrast that complicates the issue further. Months later I saw you give a speech, I think it was an anniversary festival for the end of the war. It was back when you still smiled frequently. You gave this speech that moved everyone who was able to hear it. You were our Hokage and you had us, you had the support of every one of us. I felt so proud. I was so happy. I wanted to run up to you and shout, "look how far we've come, can you believe it?" And I wanted to kiss you. Then a thought to myself I am a terrible woman eh? This wasn't the first time I've thought that about myself.

Naruto turns to Genjutsu Sakura, she smiles coyly at him.

"Genjutsu Sakura-chan it's obvious that I am attracted to you" he says.

She licks her lips. "I am ready to give all my love Naruto, I won't hold back."

He pauses to re-collect his scattered thoughts. "Genjutsu Sakura-chan it's obvious that I am **very** attracted to you. But this is okay, its not unusual because I had very strong feelings for Sakura when I was younger. But that's irrelevant to me now, I have my wife, and our intimate moments are not amazing every time but these things come in phases. We get along well. I love her."

Genjutsu Sakura nods. "I bet when you were younger you thought to yourself 'someday.' Someday is tonight Naruto, let me make your dreams come true, don't hold back."

Naruto draws a sharp breath through his teeth. He turns away from the bed and paces the room.

"Okay, okay. I know what this is about. I can't say that I don't have feelings for Sakura. I can't deny that, but I know why it's come back. Yes I am attracted to her that's never gone away. That's just natural,she's beautiful and I am not an old man yet. But now I can see that's she's feeling lonely, and I know it's partly because of the assignments Sasuke has been taking from me. And I feel guilty about that. I feel guilty and I want to help her and it's bringing back old memories, old feelings. I know that and I acknowledge it!"

He glances around. Nothing is happening.

He waits

For hours

Eventually the voice returns.

_I realize I might have put the cart before the horse yesterday when I talked about wanting to kiss you. That did happened but there was a lot of confusion and soul searching that had to be done before that. It wasn't exactly divine revelation though you could see it as a karmic joke if you choose to be cynical. Anyway realizing that you are no longer in love with the father of your child is not a discover one takes lightly. _

Naruto shakes his head. '"This is not Sakura...that is just I don't know it's my twisted imagination or something. but it's not Sakura. Sakura loves Sasuke."

"I want you so bad, I can taste it."

Genjutsu Sakura, fully nude, brushes up against him and Naruto stumbles backwards crossing the room in long strides.

"I appreciate your interest in me. But I can't-even if this is a fantasy."

Genjutsu Sakura spreads her arms wide. "There's no need to fantasize anymore Naruto I am right here."

"I am Hokage listen to what I am telling you!" Naruto demanded.

"No" Genjutsu Sakura says firmly. "I tell and you listen Naruto."

Heat flushes through Naruto's body. He stammers "I-I"

He stops when the voice returns.

_I eventually came to the conclusion that I was not unhappy. Sasuke was good to me, as good as a wife could want her husband to be, and I had an amazing daughter. No I was not unhappy but I grew more and more nostalgic. I would find myself staring off into the past whenever I had a moment to myself. I spent a lot of time dwelling on my training with Tsunade. She used to start off our most grueling training sessions with a philosophical question just to get my mind focused. I went over these questions again to see if my perspectives changed. Back then she'd say something like "think about who you were five years ago, are you and that person the same being?" My initial reaction was of course we are, that's me, just me from five years ago. _

How can I know this? Naruto thinks to himself. Was his own mind making the story up? His eyes cut to Genjutsu Sakura who simply looks him up and down wolfishly.

"Are you doing this?" Naruto asks again

"Doing what?"

The voice continues.

_But if you think about it, if your priorities have changed, if the way you answered personal questions have changed, if the way you see the world has changed, how can you be that same person? Is it unreasonable to say that we as humans can transform multiple times over the years? My husband alone may prove this point._

Naruto studies the room a second time. Everything is the same, nothing has changed. What clues was he supposed to see, to hear? He couldn't waste too much time trapped in his mind. He was in danger, vulnerable in this comatose state. No beyond even that what of his village? Was it under attack as well? He was Hokage of the Leaf, he had people to protect. He had a village to serve.

_In my heart I know I've changed dramatically over the course of two periods of my life. When Salada was born and when Sasuke defected. I guess the recurring pattern there is that both times Sasuke was barely around. I'm sorry that was a tasteless joke but its at my own expense!...You would probably be scowling now...But if you can't laugh about yourself Naruto...well anyway my point is this. Salada made me want to be a better person and I became a better person for her. Now Tsunade gave me a dream she offered me purpose but she wasn't the one who brought the best out of me. No it was you Naruto, you brought the best out of me. _

Naruto sits on the floor, his legs crossed beneath him. Unable to draw in natural energy he takes in deep lungfuls of air instead.

He closes his eyes.

"Okay there are times when I can't sleep at night so I walk. I really don't know why I go walking around at night. Sometimes it feels like I'm searching, searching for something somebody took from me. I don't know what it is. If I knew I probably would have found it right? It's an undefinable thing but it's missing in me, it makes me feel different sometimes, I mean I feel like I've become a different person. But I don't question myself, I don't question my decisions, any of them. A Hokage who can't trust himself can't be trusted by anyone..."

He opens his eyes and stares sternly at Genjutsu Sakura "I know I did the right thing giving up on her. Even if what I just heard was true, it doesn't matter now. I already walked away because I saw them with my own two eyes. They were happy, she was happy, I stood at their wedding, I was the best man, I gave a speech I felt nothing-but-happiness. I did the right thing."

Genjutsu Sakura simply smiles at him.

Hours perhaps days later, Naruto can't tell, the voice reappears. He listens quietly

_I told you before that I felt like a terrible woman when I wanted to kiss you. It really wasn't the first time. When you are young it's hard to find the right words to express yourself, you don't have the experience to define the ambiguities of life. Gratitude, guilt, fear, friendship, love, they can all run in the same circles. I probably knew Hinata loved you before you did. That fact always came back to me when I thought about you, it made me feel terrible that I was thinking about you. At times I was jealous I can see that now. Back then I thought I simply envied Hinata's courage, she would do anything for you and it seemed like I could only cry when it came to Sasuke. You brought him back to us, I suffer no delusions about that. Sasuke would have never come back without you. Hinata was made stronger by love and I was just useless to the both of you. _

_After my confession...you should have hated me Naruto, I wouldn't have blamed if you had hated me...but after that I thought you deserved someone strong, you didn't deserve to be potentially loved. You didn't need someone who was confused about the man she felt she needed to love and the man she could love. _

_I can't allow myself to say I regret my choices. There is no way I could regret being Salada's mother. Hinata loves you so much, and she is good for you. And your children, your children are beautiful. You have a wonderful family. I know the past is the past, I know things have changed, our lives have changed, and we have everything we need now to be happy people Everything has worked out for the best for everyone, there is nothing to regret. Yet knowing that doesn't stop the fact that when I see you...when I think about you. I just smile, you make me smile Naruto. You always have..._

Naruto sits in the corner of the room farthest away from Genjutsu Sakura with his back against the wall.

He speaks with his gaze on the floor.

"My father gave his life to protect the village. The third als ooffered his life for the village. By all accounts The Second and First died with the village on their minds."

He looks from the ground, tears brimming in his eyes. "The first thing I learned about being Hokage is its about sacrifice...If I can't even sacrifice love what kind of Hokage am I?"

Genjutsu Sakura doesn't respond. She rests demurely on the edge of the bed her eyes glowing of pleasant promises.

He spits. "What kind of man am I if I marry a woman while being in love with another. How could I do that to Hinata? How could I be that cruel? I am better than that, I have to be better than that! The Hokage is supposed to be better than that!"

He pauses to catch his breath.

"I did the right thing" he chokes. "And I'll do it again"

Nothing happens.

He waits, hours, days, who knows.

He waits for the voice to come and it does.

_Tsunade told me a story that Jiraiya once told her. He told her this right before she left the village, her leaving is a story in on itself I don't think you know it in its entirety. When you get your lazy ass off this bed, I'll tell it to you. So this is a story within a story if you think about it. Anyway Jiraiya tells her about two shinobi brothers Want and Able. Want and Able were from the Land of Cyclones and they took great pride in inventing, discovering or theorizing over new jutsu. However the Kage of their village was a powerful but jealous and petty man. Want and Able's clan has been mandated to reveal all their secrets to the village heads for decades. They could keep no secrets for their own improvement. So of course the village prospered while the clan became marginalized. Want begs his clan to defect and start their own village where they can be finally be free. Able points out that its their clan that is keeping their current village safe and prosperous their clan's defection would be disastrous to their comrades. Want knows its not right to live a life never to be fulfilled, a life knowing the true happiness might just be around the next hill. Able understands that the happiness of many rests on their shoulders, he will not defect it is not in him to abandon his friends. For their respective ideologies Want and Able are both simultaneously noble shinobi and fools depending on ones perspective. _

_Now Tsunade and Jiraiya are drunk off their rear-ends when he tells her this story so she thinks he was just summarizing his next book. It lacked the eroticism of his previous efforts so she in her drunken state figured it was a book for young shinobi. She claims she didn't catch the metaphor until after her hangover waned and she was already miles away from the village Want and Able are two different things of course, one is a desire, and the other is the means. _

The voice begins to tremble..

_I want you to know that I do love you Naruto, but I can't bring myself to speak those words you. I am just not able to. _

Naruto gazes out of his bedroom window. He sees nothing in particular, he stares at nothing in particular. His mind reels.

He is contemplating what he has just heard when a hand touches his shoulder.

"I can ease your mind" Genjutsu Sakura cooes.

He turns towards her.

"You're not real," he sighs.

Though visibly puzzled Genjutsu Sakura pulls at his arm.

"You are not real but these feelings I have for her they are all too real..."

Naruto laughs "me and that old perv I call my godfather have more in common than we both thought."

The bedroom starts to fade.

"Being happy for her is one thing, but I never gave up on her. I am not the type to just give up on anything I dreamed about."

Genjutsu Sakura frowns. Naruto smiles tenderly at her

"Unfortunately everything I am not made me everything I am," are the last words he says before everything goes black.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

She only peers into his hospital room to briefly check in on him. She didn't expect to find him out of bed halfway through a situp motion.

"You should be resting!"

He grins. "You don't think fours days of being in a coma is enough rest?"

"Naruto I know you are strong and all but you suffered severe damage while trapped in the genjutsu. It was frightening."

Naruto doesn't last long under Sakura's disapproving glare. He picks himself off the hospital floor with relative ease.

"You know that was the second time I've woken up to hear that you've saved my life."

"It was a close call, I had to operate on you three times, but I wasn't going to watch you die."

He nods to her. "How is my family?"

"They're fine, they're worried obviously. I will let let them know you are awake."

"Good, have Shikamaru send them up to my room as soon as possible."

"I understand."

He averts his gaze. "I will have to call Sasuke back. I will need his help now."

"I understand" she says again.

"Sakura-chan thank you for saving my life."

"I was just doing my job."

"About your job-" he hesitates. Sakura watches quietly as Naruto reaches a conclusion.

"-If you talk to someone while they are in a coma will they hear it?"

She stiffens beneath his gaze. "It's rare but its been known to happen. Did you hear anything while you were under?"

Naruto answers by stepping forward and reaching out for her. She trembles slightly as he slowly strokes her face with his thumb. Her lips are slightly parted when he places his mouth against hers, and she kisses him back, lightly, her eyes still open. She closes her eyes when he dives in once more. The second kiss is firmer, deeper.

She breaks the kiss with a long contented sigh. She then rests her head against his chest.

"You shouldn't have done that" she says.

"I know."

"I wish you hadn't done that."

"I know"

"I shouldn't have kissed you back."

"I know"

'What happens now?"

'I don't know" he answers truthfully.

They both hear a light knock on the door to the room.

"So close and yet so far away" Sakura murmurs.

"A shinobi endures" Naruto whispers to her.

Well let me know what you think. Hopefully the quality is as good as the previous two entries.


End file.
